Parents who witnessed the incident are outraged, call for safer schools

By Ilia L. Likou

APIA, Samoa (Samoa Observer, July 31, 2016) – Students looked on in sheer horror as men broke down the door to reach and beat a male teacher who “was only doing his job.”

The incident happened at the Seventh Day Adventist College at Lalovaea on Wednesday.

Confirmed by the School Principal, Eteuati Koria, he declined to discuss the incident saying it has been referred to the School’s Board for a decision.

“I don’t have any further comment to make on this issue,” the Principal said.

The teacher involved, whose name is withheld, also declined to comment.

Telling the Sunday Samoan that he is recovering, he could only confirm that he has lodged a formal complaint with the Police.

But parents who witnessed the incident are outraged.

One of them who spoke to the Sunday Samoan on the condition of anonymity said such behavior should never be allowed inside a school compound.

“As a father, I was really sad when I saw the incident that day,” he said.

“I mean this happened right in front of the students, teachers, principal, church and us as parents. It was appalling and shameful. Students shouldn’t have to see this sort of thing.”

According to the parent, two brothers who attend the school, an uncle and another man carried out the beating.

“This all started when the teacher smacked the (young) boy in Year 9 for not doing his homework. Then he (the boy) told his older brother in Year 13 and the older brother told the uncle and another man.”

The concerned parent said the teacher was merely doing his job.

“He was teaching our children and I think sometimes our students are behaving so badly because they are not being disciplined properly.

“I think his is the right time for the government especially the Ministry of Education to review the law with regards to smacking at schools. It should be allowed because this is the sort of behavior we don’t want.

“One day someone is going to get killed because they feel they have the right to retaliate on behalf of their children.”

Another parent, Atina’e Talatua said that when the attackers couldn’t open the door, they smashed it.

“They just pulled it down and made their way in. They started beating up the teacher. Another teacher was trying to calm things down but that didn’t help.”

“The teacher that was beaten was badly injured. It’s really sad to see what’s happening now.

“As a mother, I think this school is not safe for my children. People can walk in freely anytime, every day and do whatever they want.”

It was not possible to get a comment from the Chairman of the School Board and the Police yesterday.

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.